Annabelle Stephenson
A groundbreaking shift is underway in the mobile app industry as Epic Games takes on tech giants Apple and Google in a battle of sovereignty over app stores. This confrontational saga embarks in Australia, where Epic Games, renowned for the iconic game Fortnite, stands against Apple and Google, accusing them of monopolistic control over app ecosystems, notably concerning transaction fees within their platforms.
Ever since the advent of the iPhone in 2007, Apple has meticulously overseen all app deployments, initially imposing restrictions on third-party engagements. It wasn’t until 2008, with the inception of the App Store, that external apps gained entry. Yet, Apple remained steadfast in regulating the content available on their platform.
Similarly, Google enforces its regulations through the Google Play Store, albeit allowing for ”sideloading” – the direct installation of apps onto devices bypassing the store. This flexibility enables Fortnite’s presence on the Android system, achievable solely via side installations or the Samsung store.
Both Apple and Google impose charges on app transactions in their stores. Google Play levies a 15% fee on developers’ initial million-dollar earnings within a year, subsequently escalating to 30%. Apple, on the other hand, applies a 15% commission for revenues below $1 million from the preceding year, surging to 30% beyond this threshold.
Epic Games advocates for its entitlement to launch an independent store to compete with Apple’s and offer varied payment alternatives within its app on the Apple platform.
In response, Google asserts that it furnishes consumers with multiple app store choices and diversifies options for developers looking to commercialize beyond Google Play. Moreover, Google prioritizes user safety by enabling app downloads from external sources.
The standoff between Epic Games and the tech behemoths in Australia projects to extend for five months, with speculations forecasting a consolidation of the cases into an elaborate legal procedure. The definitive court ruling could protract over several years, with potential appeals entailing prolonged litigation.
Undeniably, the aftermath of this legal strife holds momentous implications for the mobile app landscape, influencing users and developers universally. Regardless of Epic Games’ legal triumph, Apple and Google risk forfeiting dominion over app stores in the grand scheme.
UKK
Mikä on sideloading?
Sideloading viittaa prosessiin, jossa sovellukset asennetaan laitteeseen suoraan, ohittaen virallisen sovelluskaupan.
Miten Apple ja Google saavat tuloja sovellustransaktioista?
Sekä Apple että Google veloittavat provisioita transaktioista, jotka tehdään heidän omaan sovelluskauppaansa. Google Play veloittaa yleensä 15-30% provision, kun taas Applen provisio vaihtelee 15-30% riippuen kehittäjän vuotuisista tuloista.
Miksi Epic Gamesin, Applen ja Googlen oikeustaistelu on merkittävä alalle?
Tämä oikeudellinen kiista muokkaa todennäköisesti mobiilisovellusalalle tulevaisuuden maisemaa, vaikuttaen siihen, miten sovelluskaupat toimivat ja miten kehittäjät voivat jakaa sovelluksiaan.
Lisätietoja aiheesta löydät molempien yritysten virallisilta verkkosivuilta:
[Epic Games](https://www.epicgames.com/)
[Apple](https://www.apple.com/)
[Google Play](https://play.google.com/store)
The source of the article is from the blog be3.sk
